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Christmas

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Original poster

Christmas presents how much do you spend on DC?

162 replies

Adelecarberry87 · 10/12/2015 10:12

A friendly debate - when do you think you've bought enough?
I make sure both DC have the same spent on them but DS is 7 , DD is 2. The amount of presents DD is considerably larger to DS. Even though they have had equal amounts spent on them. I still feel like i haven't got them enough dispite DH saying they have enough.

OP posts:
SanityClause · 16/12/2015 07:03

It depends on what they want/need.

DS doesn't really want or need anything big his Christmas, so we've bought him someone smaller (but still a "main" present).

DD2 asked for a piece of technology in about September, which is quite expensive. I said if she wanted it, it would have to be a Christmas present. So, we will spend nearly 3 times as much on her main present, as on DS's (with DD1 coming somewhere in the middle)

NowBringUsSomeFuzzpiggyPudding · 16/12/2015 09:24

Chris wooden railway is indeed expensive, but is a worthwhile investment IMO. My DCs are 6 and 8 and still play with theirs all the time! If you want to add to it in the future, there are other cheaper ranges that fit (lots of supermarkets seem to do them, and there's Bigjigs etc)

Artandco · 16/12/2015 09:37

That's why our costs are usually higher but with few gifts. Everything we buy we expect to last. So the wooden train set was probably about £200, 6 years ago. But it's still as new and played with most days by both children. The other Xmas's have been stuff of similar vibe so only one main set really but as generally wooden and well made is a bit more. We never by fads or branded character stuff that they are likely to outgrow quickly.

Mind you last year they received my old Lego from childhood as main gift so that was free!

Marzipanface · 16/12/2015 09:48

ChristmasEvePj Really? £65-70 per child for all presents including their stockings is too much? My impression, from this thread, is that I have spent considerably less than others!

BastardGoDarkly · 16/12/2015 11:30

Christmas did you miss the poster that's spent 3k on her kids? Hmm

NoSquirrels · 16/12/2015 11:48

Always more than I intend, but less than I could if I was buying everything I saw. I reckon between new PJs, main gift from us and a couple of books & DVDs, main gift from Father Christmas and stockings, it comes to about £120 each. In my head it should be about £80 each!

And then I also buy some stuff for the run-up in Advent - Christmas jigsaw, craft stuff, etc. Then the trips to do/see things. So it adds up to more, really but I choose not to think about it

Like others, never any random toys between birthdays and Christmas. Sometimes books & art/craft stuff, but never toys. So I do like to buy things at Christmas and birthdays I think will have longish-term play value. Then I have to add on the tat that they think they want the most, from Father Christmas. And I love putting the stocking together and prefer to add things that are a little bit more expensive along with the sweets and poundshop rubbish.

I am not usually a shopper, but I do like to treat the DC at Christmas.

Badders123 · 16/12/2015 13:12

I've just totted up and inc advent calendars and stockings it's £400 each.
Dh and I don't buy for each other as we have a day out together instead.

NowBringUsSomeFuzzpiggyPudding · 16/12/2015 14:17

I've now hit the £200 mark for DD (individually) because I'm getting clothes. Some are slightly nicer than what she would get at other times (eg I never buy character stuff through the year but I've found a Jack Skellington t-shirt which she will hit the roof over! I can't wait!) but it'll be padded out with stuff like plain leggings to replace her holey ones.

I think when I combine everything for DD, DS and both (sharing stuff) it'll be about £600. It's a lot, but virtually all of it will last a long time (things like board/card games, instruments and lego are played with every day here) so I'm reasonably happy with it. This is the first year I've really kept track of everything, and the idea is that I'll then use this year's total to set a (rounded down) budget for 2016. So next year I might try for £500 all in for the pair of them. I'll also have an overall budget for EVERYTHING, as we have other family members, a few birthdays in December, and stuff like giftwrap and crackers.

Badders123 · 16/12/2015 14:21

I'm really pleased with what I've got for the £.
Lots of bargains (I start early!) and a couple of great Amazon Black Friday deals.
They will love the Star Wars bladebuilder lightsabers :)

Kennington · 16/12/2015 14:34

About 20 quid on my 3 year old

I don't like plastic and she gets enough tat from everyone else

Saz12 · 16/12/2015 22:23

Wooden train sets are fab - DD has one, loves it, and hours of play vs cost works out very cheap! The figure-8 ones are not expensive and easy to add to; if I had a good tip for a gift, a wooden train set would be it. Fab that they're all (or pretty much all) compatible, too.

I'm not fussed on what toy is made of (wood, plastic, meh) so long as it is played with and isn't landfill-in-waiting.

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